MY FRIEND, JAY TORRES

My friend Mr. Jay Torres, is currently incarcerated.

Four years ago, Jay decided to work on earning a higher education degree during his incarceration. He enrolled himself in the Adams State University Prison Education Correspondence Program and worked tirelessly to complete his studies during evenings while also working during the days.

To say that there were many hurdles and setbacks would be an understatement. Jay had to overcome not just the difficulties associated with receiving an education through correspondence, but he also had to navigate various VADOC policies regarding receiving books and mail and work with the limited resources that were available to him due to his incarceration.

Jay realized after the first time the majority of the work he sent in was lost in the mail that completing this education program was not going to be easy. Nevertheless, he persisted. Every course assignment, every essay, every research paper (even his 15 to 20-page Capstone thesis) and every exam all had to be completed with just a pen, papers, and a simple calculator because that was all that was available to an incarcerated individual, even to those that are pursuing an education. Finding a place to study in a dorm in the evenings with 50+ individuals and no dedicated space to work on course assignments is not easy, if not at all impossible. Feedback and comments from the professors often got lost in the mail or got returned by the correctional facility due to the number of pages or the size of the mail. Finding the appropriate types of textbooks that would meet the VADOC requirements for printed or bound matters became a “game” that Jay and I played every time he registered for a new course. Exams could only be completed if it could be administered by a VADOC staff who is willing to serve as a Proctor. Study guides from the school that were in color were originally allowed by the facility but then later had to be photocopied in black and white and it made some of the information that was already difficult to comprehend even more challenging to understand.

In spite of all these struggles along the way, Jay never gave up. For each course he had to complete, he planned, set deadlines, and developed a routine. He worked diligently on his studies and regardless of what the hurdle was, he found a way to overcome it without letting it discourage him. After years of persistent effort and hard work, I am very excited to say that Jay was able to complete the program and received a Master in Business Administration (MBA) degree earlier this year. This was not an easy accomplishment by any stretch of the imagination. I am very proud of him and would like to congratulate him on this tremendous accomplishment. I would also like to share this story with the readers of your newsletter/blog in the hopes that they will find this to be an inspiration. Do not let incarceration or your circumstances deter you from aspiring to achieving greater things. The only thing that stands between you and your dream is the will to try and the belief that it is actually possible.

Submitted by Clark Jaw